Permitted routes in Western Sahara
 

Hi,
Apart from the Atlantic Route, are there any other routes to "do" in Western Sahara??

Hi,
Does Smara to Assa count?
Nearly as much in Morocco as W. Sahara, but I'd recomend it.
I'm not aware of anything else allowed.

Sam

I believe Layounne to Smara (all road) is allowed. AFAIK that is the furthest south you can go inland.
From Smara you must go north (MW6) or west of it. Zag road is closed.

Ch

Hi,
They had no real problems with us going from Laayoune to Smara in Feb. We got a lot of raised eyebrows and confused looks at the checkpoint where we split to head to Smara rather than down the coast 'You want to go to Smara.........in a dust storm........for tourism......' it just didn't really compute with them!
We were held for about 15 mins while they phoned around before letting us go, but all very amicable. We later realised they were aranging for a police car to be waiting at a junction to make sure we were going to Smara and not off somewhere we shouldn't.
We told them we were just going to Smara and then back up to Tan-Tan on the road, it seemed easier than trying to get their heads around the long piste as well as the trip to Smara, it worked out fine.
Also, the tarmac you take initially after leaving the road out of Smara now side steps the Hawza checkpoint altogether. It doesn't appear to go anywhere at all in fact, but once we realised we were skirting Hawza we just went with it and easilly picked up the way into the jebel.

Sam

In the road between Layounne and Smara there is an detour to Bou Craa phosphate mines and Guelta Zemmour. I think Gelta Zemmour town is considered as military zone and then forbiden for tuorist.

There is another sealed road that begins, I think about 20 km south from Dakhla checkpoint in the Atlantic route and goes, to Ausserd (sorry but I don´t have my maps with me). Last december I asked an goatherd at Ausserd and he told me that tarmac continues until Tichla...but I haven´t seen it.

Tourism is not permited nor forbiden. It depends on the situation with the Polisario. Sometimes they can allow you to go and next week it can be all closed. Anyway going off road is dangerous because there left plenty of mines and unexploded ammo.

Guelta Z is off limits, Bou Craa phosphate mine too, but less so. Why go there anyway? Off-roading in WS is a grey zone. There is actually a Gandini guide (in french) with very good and reliable route descripitons: did most of them over the course of the past few years. Never had any problems except one night spent in Baggary military base appreciating mr. colonell's frinedly attention. Alas he, together with 6 other colonells, was jailed in 2009 ...
If you ask for permission to go off-roading in WS, you won't get it. So don't.
Once inside you're pretty much alone - in all my time in the interior of WS I only had one encounter with the military, the one mentioned above.
Mines are the real danger, every year people die or get hurt. Some areas are notorious for mines, others are considered mine-free. Fact is nobody knows really. There is a lot of de-mining going on, mostly in areas closer to the ocean. There are plenty of tracks that can be followed besides Gandini routes (military supply pistes are no fun and often very corrugated, nomadic tracks are best, but harder to follow and don't go very far, smugglers pistes are too hazardous).
Good preparation (knowledge of local customs and history), good research of sources that give an idea about mines, common sense and a LOT of prudence are a must.
Apart from that, driving is generally easy but there are several tricky sebhas.
No fuel anywhere, not even Awserd, which is actually open to tourists. Plenty of wells. Water is mostly of poor quality (best in the east & south, along the Tichla- Bir Gandouz line).
Definitely no place for fooling around.

From what I know I think Moro's post sums up interior of WS very well.

Ch

Here's an answer:
Picasa Web Albums - Quim - 2009 Marrocos...

A fantastic trip I wish I could have done.
Cheers
P

Nice pix. Didnt know that could be done. I can hear many minds ticking over...

Around photo 25 on I see they manage to find a way over the Draa from around Tiglite~Ayoun towards Mseid. I always wondered if that was possible. Just about it seems.

Further south it looks as expected, not too much to catch the eye.

I recognise what could be a few Dakar Rally balises in there.

Ch

Yes Chris, as I said if there are no problems with the Polisario tourism is more or less tolerated. Quim´s trip is very very nice. Last december I make too the crossing of WS by car, you can see some pics here Foro TRAIL SIN LIMITES :: Conectarse (from page 3)

When I came back I talked with a Jacques Gandini friend that told me some of the off piste in Gandini´s guides are not 100% sure. So I recomend not to leave existing tracks and don´t drive on old and unused tracks that can be mined, also arround some wells and river crossings and specially near old berms (sand walls)

They "why go there'" question was aimed at Guelta Zemmour and Bou Craa only, not at WS in general :)

here some more pics
Maroko in Zahodna Sahara januar 2007
Novo leto 2009 v Zahodni Sahari
Zahodna Sahara 10/2008

Thanks moro, what a beautiful collection of pics!